


Red and Pink

by Amateur_Sketch



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2003), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Healing, Kidnapping, Past Abuse, Romance, TMNT, tmnt 2003
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-06
Updated: 2020-01-02
Packaged: 2020-06-22 06:05:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19661359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amateur_Sketch/pseuds/Amateur_Sketch
Summary: After an argument with Leo, Raph storms off into the forest where he encounters Mona Lisa, a mutated salamander with a troubled past. With her arrival, his brothers will gain a sister they never knew they wanted and Raph finds the peace and balance he never knew he needed. - Based on the 2003 series





	1. The Storm

**Spring, 2006**

One year passed since the defeat of Tengu Shredder and during that year, the Turtles had lived in relative peace. Aside from going out and dealing with the thugs that roamed the streets of New York City, of course. But so far, there was nothing between them and the Foot. Karai promised she would keep her men under control as long as the Turtles didn't interfere with the business she was trying to run. They agreed and although she did shady business practices, no one was physically harmed as far as they knew so they kept out of her way as promised. The Purple Dragons continued to do what they always did, but there was nothing Karai could do about that. Hun had zero respect for her and she didn't care for him or his gang. Bishop and Stockman went silent in the aftermath. This brought the brothers both relief and nervousness as both men -especially Bishop- could be unpredictable. Still, whatever they were doing, as long as they didn't unleash it onto unsuspecting populations, the Turtles left them be.

However, they were becoming drained spending their days fighting Purple Dragons and whatever goon was out in the big city. So with Casey and April, they went to the Jones' farm and spent the later weeks of spring there. Surrounding themselves with nature brought on rejuvenation for them all.

To the east of the property, Casey took a path that led to his favorite fishing spot with a certain hot-head reluctantly in tow. To Raph, fishing sounded like the most boring sport in the world, right next to NASCAR, but it was better than staying at the house with Leo barking orders and Mikey being loud and obnoxious. They were supposed to be on vacation but it didn't stop those two from getting under his shell. Casey could be equally annoying, but he was far more tolerable at the moment.

Unlike the weather, which should have been mild that day, but he'd noticed half-way down the trail that the temperature was falling fast. With all the twist and turns down the path, Raph was losing his patience.

"We're almost there," Casey announced.

"Yeah, you've been sayin' that for the last half-hour. Just admit yer lost," Raph growled.

"We ain't lost, Raph. I used to come out here when I was a kid."

"You came out here in the summer when everything was _warm_."

"Ya know, you complain a lot for a supposed tough guy."

"Yeah, well, we can't all be warm-blooded."

Casey halted, causing Raph to run into him. He gave a grunt and grumbled under his breath.

"There it is," Casey said, pointing towards the water.

They stood in front of a clear sparkling lake. The evening sun gave it an orange, fiery glow. At the bottom of the hill they stood on, they saw a boat dock. Scanning the area, they didn't see anyone in sight and continued down the path.

Being out in the open like this made Raph uncomfortable, even if dusk was approaching. He continued to look around, just in case.

Casey set down his grandfather's old tackle box on the dock and dug around for the right lure. He picked out a feathery lime green and red one and held it up to Raph.

"Hey look, Raph, it looks like you."

Raph looked down at the lure. Its painted googly eyes almost taunted him. He thought of flicking the thing into the water but knew it meant a lot to Casey.

"They got any that look like boneheads?" Raph asked.

Casey attached it to the rod and cast his line. Raph tried to cast but each time his line only went a few inches and smacked the water. After the fifth try, he let out a growl and resisted throwing the pole across the lake.

"Havin' a hard time there, Raph?" Casey asked with a chuckle.

Raph narrowed his eyes. "I know what I'm doin'!"

"Doesn't look like it."

He turned away from Casey, his annoyance growing. He tried casting the rod out again, this time with success.

"See, I told you, I know what I'm doin'," Raph said looking over his shoulder.

"If you say so."

He ignored the comment and stared down at the water. Minnows swam to the surface before quickly darting back down to the bottom. Seven feet from him, he spied a log with two wood turtles sunbathing in what light they'd have for the time being. The pair were rather close to each other, one resting its head on the other. He remembered Donatello saying something about turtles having multiple mates at once and wondered what number those two were on. For a moment, Raph thought of what it would be like to have a mate. He thought he found something in that woman whom he trained with during the tribunal, but it was clear she wasn't interested in him in that way. Deep down it hurt, but he wasn't going to let anyone know that let alone admit it to himself. He reburied that feeling as soon as it tried to resurface. The idea of ever finding a romantic partner had crossed all of their minds once. Mikey being the most vocal on it at one point.

Once, during a power outage, they sat around in the dark talking about random topics by candlelight. Somehow, they started talking about mates, and Mikey mentioned that he sometimes thought about what it would be like to have a significant other and didn't mind raising hatchlings of his own. They ended up laughing at him and at the idea of Mikey being responsible for anything bigger than a cat. Then the fun was quickly sucked from the room when Donatello mentioned how unethical it would be of them to procreate because of the life they were forced to live. Not that Raph would have wanted that, but it was just another reminder he could never have a normal life.

He gripped the railing of the dock and squeezed hard in frustration. There wasn't any point in getting pissed about things out of his control, but he couldn't help it. Remembering Casey was with him, he closed his eyes and tried clearing his mind as Master Splinter taught him. He could feel the anger begin to dissolve and was feeling better.

"Hey Raph, you're supposed to watch your pole, not the water," Casey said, giving Raph a slap on the shell.

Raph looked up from the lake. "I'm right next to my pole. I don't think it's going anywhere."

"Just be careful. My grandpa used to say that a fish can snatch your rod before you know what's happenin'."

"Don't worry, I got it."

Casey looked unsure but shrugged and returned to his own pole.

Raph stopped caring about fishing and found himself distracted by his surroundings again and made sure no one else was out. The sun was drifting lower and orange and pink blended sky was turning a light purple. Even with night quickly approaching, Raph felt on edge being exposed like this. He had checked for quick hiding spots and found two. One behind a large boulder and he could make a quick getaway in the oak tree beside the dock or the water.

Looking across the lake, Raph froze at the sight of an upright figure moving within the dense forest. Whoever they were, they were slim and moving quickly through the brush. The shape had their back to the guys, unaware of their presence. Even from the distance he was standing at, he could see the long brown hair. He quickly leapt into the tree. The shape stepped out of the darkness of the forest and into the fading light. By now it was getting harder to see, but he could tell they were wearing a green sweater and their hair was hiding their face as they dipped a canteen into the water.

If they didn't see Raph, they definitely saw Casey. They spun on their heel and made a dash back into the safety of the darkness. He found this behavior odd but didn't think much of it. Probably some weird kid doing weird kid things.

"Yo, Raph, whaddya doin' up in that tree?" Casey asked, looking over his shoulder.

But there was another problem, and that was the dark purple clouds coming in from the south, flickering with lightning. Another gust of cool wind swept over the lake, whipping up his bandanna and rocking the dock. Great, the first big storm of the season was on its way. Raph clenched his jaw to keep his teeth from chattering as the wind chilled him.

"Case, I think we best cut this short."

"Why?"

"Well for one, we ain't alone and two, there's a storm comin' in. Look to the south."

He did and quickly began to reel in his rod as another gust of wind shook the dock.

"Who's out here with us?" Casey asked.

"Someone across the lake," he hissed from the tree. "They didn't see me but they saw you and booked it for the forest."

Within minutes, Casey had their gear packed and ready to go. Raph jumped down but stayed behind the tree. By now the sun had disappeared entirely and very little light was left.

He followed after Casey while trying to stay out of sight. As they walked back into the forest, he felt eyes on the back of his shell. Looking back, he spotted the figure across the lake, standing out in the open and watching him. His heart took off in his chest and he quickly disappeared into the shadows.

By the time they made it back the dark clouds rolled over the area and opened up, soaking them both. Raph spent the next twenty minutes wringing out his gear and mask and hanging them out to dry. He felt oddly vulnerable without them.

Mikey poked his head out of the window and snickered at Raph. "You're naked!"

"You're not exactly covered up yourself, Einstein," he pointed out.

Mikey laughed again and threw a corn chip at Raph's face. The evening ended with Raph chasing the orange-clad turtle throughout the house. Mikey's screams could be heard from up the stairs as Raph finally caught up with him.

Downstairs, the rest of the family listened on, shaking their heads as it was just another night for them.

* * *

A loud clap of thunder awoke Raph in the night. It sounded as if something heavy had fallen or someone fired a gun. His bed was next to the window, so he had a good view of the storm that rage on outside.

Raindrops pelted the window and slid down the glass. Thunder rumbled, and an almost blinding flash of lightning lit up the room. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. As his mind began to wake up more, a strange, eerie sensation crept into his body, making his skin prickle. It was the feeling of being watched and this wasn't the same feeling he got when Leo or Splinter watched his every move either. This was different, though he didn't know why.

Swinging his legs off the bed, he slowly rose to his feet and moved for the window. He wiped away fog that collected on the glass and peered out. The light that shined above the barn doors burned out days ago and Casey had yet to fix, shrouding the property in blackness.

Lightning flashed, temporarily illuminating the yard, and he saw the shape standing behind a cedar tree. Raph's eyes widened.

_It can't be… they were across the lake. They couldn't know where I live… could they? Ah shell, what if they come back with more people?_

Another flicker and this time the shape disappeared. Raph blinked, thinking the sleep that clouded his vision was causing this.

"What are you doing awake?" Leo mumbled.

He was standing behind Raph who hadn't heard his brother get up.

"I think someone's outside. I saw movement behind the barn."

Without a second thought, Leo picked up his swords. "Then let's investigate."

"You think someone would be in this storm?"

"We must be ready for anything. Grab a raincoat."

Raph was too tired to argue with his brother and besides, Leo was right. If someone was out there, they needed to deal with it. Taking a few flashlights from the kitchen drawer, they stepped out into the storm.

* * *

They found nothing, not even tracks or footprints. They told Casey and April, who didn't showed concern and claimed that no one would be crazy enough to be out that weather. It didn't satisfy Raph. He saw something that night, and he knew it had to be the person across the lake.

A couple of days passed and nothing else strange happened, but Raph kept a watchful eye out. He tried playing it cool, however, Fearless and his father caught on to this and Leo pulled him aside one morning after breakfast. He braced himself for the lecture. The three of them stood behind the tool shed. Raph leaned against the shabby structure, waiting for Leo to lay into him.

"Casey told us what happened when you guys went fishing," Leo said, arms crossed.

"And?"

"And you were spotted," Splinter added. "How could you be so careless, my son?"

Seeing the disappointment in his father's eyes stung, but he would not let them see that.

"It was a dense area," he explained. "Hardly anyone goes out there and besides, we were a good distance from the person we saw. I mean, I saw them before they could see me."

"Are you sure?"

Raph swallowed. He couldn't lie to Splinter even if he wanted to. "I… I think…" he sighed. "Yes, I was spotted."

Splinter's grim look deepened his guilt. Leo shook his head in disappointment.

"I can't believe this. I expected this kind of slip from Mikey, but not you, Raph. What you did was reckless."

He wanted to remind Leo that Mikey was better at stealth out of all of them, but he was too pissed to care about that right now.

"It was an accident. We didn't think anyone was out. It's dense forest where we were and the person spotted us across the lake. I could've looked like anything to them!"

"An accident can lead to trouble for us all! We can never be seen," Leo said.

"You think I don't know that!" Raph shouted. "I'm reminded every time I look in the goddamn mirror! I don't need any of you reminding me every day of my life!"

"Calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down!"

With that, he turned and stormed off into the direction of the forest. Leo called after him, but, he was too pissed to care what else Fearless had to say. He walked until he was within darkness provided by the canopy of trees.

Once he felt he was at a good enough distance, he found a large oak tree and slammed his fist into it. Seeing the bark give into his blow, he felt a sense of satisfaction. He was still angry and continued to hit and break everything around him. In the back of his mind he knew it was reckless to create so much noise, but his temper blinded his senses as usual.

By the time it was over, he still didn't feel better and went for a run, hoping he could wear himself down and the storm within.


	2. Raphael Meets His Match

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Track: Meet Me in the Woods ~ Lord Huron

The sweet aroma of newly blossom flowers filled the air, giving her a sense of peace. The weather had warmed since the terrible storm she was caught in. Finding a large, flat rock, she climbed on and stretched over it. The warmth seeped into her body and eased her aching muscles. She'd trekked through the woods, going up steep hills, and swimming across the lake in search of a new location to make camp. After almost getting caught the other night, it was best to move along. The last thing she needed was a bunch of crazy Deliverance hillbillies coming after her.

On days like this, she both loved and hated them. Loved them because she always loved basking in the sunshine. Hated them because everyone and their grandma were out and about today. She knew to stay away from campgrounds, only showing up at night when unknown campers were sleeping.

Stealing was wrong, she knew this, but also knew she had to do whatever it took to survive. Had she not stolen all those supplies and found that cabin last summer, she certainly would have died during the winter. A shudder passed through her at the thought of that harsh season. It was over now and she had the chance to enjoy(or at least try to) the warmer months.

She never thought her life would turn out like this. Years earlier when she walked across that stage and was presented with her diploma, she had the world at her feet. Early in her life, teachers saw that she was more advanced than the other kids and could skip a grade. By the time she was fifteen, she was a junior and by sixteen she took college courses. Everything was falling into place.

Until it wasn't...

Since that day _he_ came along and ruined her life, she'd been living out here on her own. Frightened, half-starved, and lonely. Despite being a pampered girly-girl, her rough and hardy grandmother had taught her how to survive in the woods. Being from southern California, she thought these skills would go to waste. Now looking back she was thankful for her grandmother's knowledge. She only wished she never had to use it.

Now all she could do was survive until her luck ran out. Whenever that was she wasn't sure.

She was spotted a few days earlier across the lake. The man with long black hair hadn't seen her but that green man… that turtle… he saw her. She only knew what he was because of the spyglass she'd found in a lost backpack last fall. The moment she saw him, she thought her eyes were playing tricks. What were the odds of someone like her existing in this world? He could have been a man in a costume, but he looked so real. She wanted to hope somewhere out there were others in the same situation as her. Those would could help her.

Leaning back further, she felt her spine pop and crack, relieving some of the stress. She gave a sigh of relief and relaxed her body.

It wasn't wise to let her guard down, but she was tired of always being on edge as if something would snatch her up again. Even when she laid down for the night, she never fully slept and woke throughout the night.

She sat up and looked around. This seemed like a nice spot to make camp however she had to keep going. Jumping off the rock, she picked up her bag and headed further to the east.

* * *

Raph wasn't ready to go back. Sitting up in a tree, he reflected on his behavior and realized he could have handled it better. He could have handled a lot of things better but anger kept getting to him.

He felt like a piece of shit.

Closing his eyes, he tried to clear his thoughts. A gentle breeze brushed past him, carrying the scent of honeysuckle, wisteria, and other wildflowers with it. Aromatherapy never worked for him. All these sweet scents irritated his nose. He couldn't understand how April could stand it while she meditated. He exhaled out the sharply sweet scent and opened his eyes. Looking up at the leaves brightened by the sun, Raph sighed, wishing he could better himself. He was a lost cause, though. Nothing anyone could do would fix it.

He jumped down as frustration built up inside of him. Why couldn't he be normal, more level-headed, and calm like his brothers? What was wrong with him?

His body itched for another run as frustration built up inside him again. Turning on his heel, he readied himself but stopped at the sound of snapping twigs and rustling leaves. He quickly jumped for the lowest branch and climbed to the top. He scanned the area until he spotted movement down below.

Another snap from a branch. "Ow!" a feminine voice yelped.

Raph pressed himself against the trunk as the movement drew closer. Through the trees, he could see green and pink. Carefully, he moved closer for a better look. She stepped out of the brush and into the clearing, revealing herself. The very sight of her almost cause Raph to lose his balance. He stumbled and fell back against the trunk, rattling the branches. He froze as she looked up in his direction. His heart drummed wildly in his chest as he steadied himself.

She was a mutant but not a turtle; she was a lizard or maybe a salamander judging by her round features. Her skin was smooth and a light green with a dark green stripe down her back that covered her short tail. A feature that stood out to him the most was her brown hair that flowed down past her mid-back, almost reaching the base of her tail. She pulled a twig from her hair and flicked it aside.

"This is the worst. I knew I should have taken a right," she said. Her voice was soft and pleasant even with the annoyance in her tone.

He wanted to approach her but didn't know the best way to do so. Jumping down in front of her would certainly scare her away. Calling out to her wasn't wise either. More than likely she knew that like him, she had to stay hidden. Staying quiet though, that didn't seem to be her strong point. Still, he needed to reach out to her. She couldn't stay out here by herself.

In the corner of his vision, he saw movement to the left of him. Turning in that direction, he spotted two men walking down a well-used path. Both tall, but one was lanky and the other average built. They looked to be in their late teens, early twenties. The lanky one wore a black t-shirt, and the other was wearing a red flannel; both wearing worn-out jeans. The average built one carried a rifle, making Raph nervous. They were heading straight for the girl and if they spied her; it was game over.

Looking back at the girl, he noticed her frozen in place, her eyes wide. He silently pleaded for her to run and hide.

"You think she went this way?"

Raph turned back to the men.

"Not sure, but if I find the bitch…" the lanky one said.

"Don't worry," the other man lifted his rifle. "I've got a little persuasion here."

Raph narrowed his eyes as both of the humans laughed. The small one wouldn't be challenging, like snapping a twig in two, however, the one with the gun might not go down as easy. He'd taken on opponents with guns before but that was in the dark when he had the upper hand. He'd have to take out the redneck first.

"Hey, I bet we can take more than our stuff back," Twig boy said.

"I don't know... seems risky," Redneck replied. "Unless we kill her."

Raph's free hand drifted to his side and touched the handle of his sai.

They laughed again and Raph felt sick at what they were implying.

_You picked the wrong day to piss me off, you bastards._

Before he could make a move, they spotted her.

* * *

By the time she found the courage to move, the humans had spotted her. She clutched the straps of her bag, needing something to hold for comfort.

"What the fuck are you?" the skinny one asked.

The larger man stepped in front of him, holding a hunting rifle. "Looks like one of those furry freaks. Bet she came out here for one of her sick orgies."

She'd have thought this to be comical if it wasn't for the circumstance she found herself in.

The smaller one's eyes flicked to the side of her bag. He glared at her and said: "That's my canteen. You're the bitch that broke into my truck, aren't you!"

She swallowed. She didn't think anyone saw her the day she went raiding for supplies. She cursed herself for not being more careful.

"I-I I'm sorry…," she stammered. "I didn't want to take from you but I really needed it at the time!"

"Didn't anyone teach you stealing was wrong? I guess now, I'll have to teach you a lesson myself."

"But I'm sorry!" she cried. "You can have it back."

Her mind was screaming at her to move, to do something but her legs felt like jello. The lanky one took a step forward while the other held her at gunpoint.

As they moved closer a flash of steel struck the ground between them, stopping the men in their tracks. She looked down at the object before her. Growing up with a brother who loved martial art films, she knew it was a sai.

She backed away as the men looked around for who or what threw the weapon. Before her brain could process what was happening, green and red-streaked across her vision and struck the man with the gun. His rifle flung in the air and hit the ground six feet away before discharging. The thundering boom rattled her nerves, and she wilted to the ground.

It was that turtle from across the lake! He was a lot bigger up close, in both height and muscle. It was intimidating and yet impressive. He picked up the hillbilly tossed him against a tree with such ease. The scrawnier one watched in horror as the red-masked turtle lifted his friend by his shirt collar and delivered a powerful blow to the hillbilly's face. Blood sprayed from his nose and she knew it had to be broken. The turtle dropped the cowboy and spun around to face the smaller human.

The small one cried out and turned on his heels, only for the turtle to lift him high into the air.

"Oh, no you don't!" he snarled in a Brooklyn accent.

The human let out another terrified cry as he was thrown against his unconscious friend. He groaned as he struggled to get back on his feet. He'd barely had time to look up when her savior stormed over to the scrawny human, lifted him to his feet and decked him hard, knocking him out. He crumbled to the ground and slumped over his friend.

She opened her mouth to say something, but the turtle took out some rope his belt and quickly began to hogtie them. This would have been a good time to get up and run, but she didn't want to leave. Curiosity got the better of her and she wanted to stay and see what happened next.

Lifting the men over each shoulder he carried them into the brush and stacked them on each other. He picked up the rifle and tossed it into a small creek. She wanted to tell him that most guns worked perfectly fine after getting wet but her words were caught in her throat. She was also miffed that he thought it was wise to dispose of it when she could have really used a weapon out here.

He turned to his attention making her heart leap into her throat. She swallowed down her nervousness as he slowly and carefully approached her. She pressed herself against the oak tree in a pathetic attempt to put another millimeter between them.

"I ain't gonna hurt ya," he said, his voice rough. Her heart accelerated when he knelt down to her level. "Are you alright, miss?"

She thought maybe he was faking it. Maybe he would hurt her too, just like all the others before him. However, as she looked into his golden eyes, she saw nothing but genuine concern reflecting in them.

"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you." Her voice was soft, barely above a whisper.

Rising to his feet, he offered his hand to her. She hesitantly accepted, surprised by how coarse it was. He lifted her to his level.

"What's your name?"

"Rhamona Canmore but you can call me Mona Lisa. Everyone does… or at least they used to."

He cocked his head. "Like the painting?"

She forced a smile. "Yeah. Lisa is my middle name so it kinda just stuck." Suddenly feeling awkward, she quickly turned the topic to him. "So, um, what's your name, turtle?"

"Raphael."

"That's it? What was your name before-" Her eyes flicked to his bicep and she gasped. "Raphael, you're bleeding!"

He looked at his arm to see the crimson streaking down. With each pulse, more blood oozed out and dripped on the ground. How was he not in pain?

"Damn it," he growled. He winced as he slowly began to feel it.

On instinct, she reached out for his arm. He quickly jerked it away, flinching at the sudden movement.

"Let me help you."

"You could make it worse."

"I have medical training. I… used to be a vet or at least I was studying to become one."

This time it was the turtle to show hesitance.

"It's not the first time I've removed a bullet," she pressed.

He sighed. "Alright, come on. You can help me better at my place."

"But first…" she opened her backpack and removed a shirt. Tearing it into a long strip, she tied it around his arm, just above the wound. "There, this should slow down the bleeding until I can remove the bullet."

He nodded. "Thanks."

"Lead the way, Turtle."

Mona stayed beside him, monitoring his injury, all the while wondering what was in store for her now.


	3. Raphael Meets His Match Pt.2

"You live here?" Mona asked, amazed. "I thought you had a nest somewhere."

If Raph wasn't in pain, he would have laughed at her statement. "You could say I'm on vacation."

The closer they got to the house, the timider she became. He noticed her pace was starting to slow as well. His arm throbbed with each step he took and he hoped she wouldn't run. If she had the skills she claimed, he could really use her help, even if he didn't want to admit it.

"There are humans here," Mona Lisa whispered, pointing at Casey standing by the truck.

"It's okay, he's family."

"Your family accepts you for what you are? That's amazing!"

He gave her a side glance. _What's up with her?_ "You don't need to worry, my family and I have seen it all."

As they rounded the side of the house, a blur of teal and orange flashed in front of them. Mona yelped and jumped behind Raph, grabbing his injured arm. Raph let out a growl and she quickly let go.

"Watch where you're goin', knucklehead!" Raph chided Mikey.

The orange-clad turtle laughed. However, it was quickly cut short at the sight of Mona Lisa. His blue gaze was fixated on her and a look of wonder was plastered on his face.

"Who's the lizard?"

"Salamander," Mona corrected. "I'm a salamander, not a lizard and my name is Mona."

Mikey ran a hand over his head. "Uh, sorry. Where did you find her, Raph and what happened to your arm?"

"Some crazy hillbillies tried jumpin' her out in the woods and one was armed."

"You didn't lead them back here, did you?"

Annoyance pricked at him. Did they really think he'd screw up twice? He and Mona made sure they covered their tracks. Ignoring Mikey's question, Raph stormed passed him with Mona in tow.

He shoved the screen door open, startling April. She jumped up, dropping her book and gasped at Raph's wound.

"Raph, what happened to you and who is that?!"

At April's cry, Leo, Don, and Splinter emerged from upstairs. Seconds later, Casey and Mikey burst into the house. Beside him, he could feel Mona shiver. He guessed that after living alone in the woods for some time she wasn't used to so many people. He wondered how long it had been since she had proper contact with anyone.

His brothers and Casey gathered around him, waiting for his answer and staring at the newcomer with curiosity. She shrunk back more, hiding behind his shell.

"It's a long story," Raph said. "Can you back up a little and give her some breathin' space?"

"Sorry," they muttered simultaneously.

"I'm sorry we frightened you, miss," Leonardo said, dipping his head.

She nodded but didn't speak.

The pain pulsing through his arm worsened. He winced and instinctively grabbed at his wound. April stepped forward, her expression showing alarm.

"We need the first aid kit," April said.

Casey turned and made a dash for the bathroom where the kit was kept.

"Mona here has medical trainin'," Raph explained. "She was a vet."

"Studying, but yes, I've removed bullets before."

Grabbing a dish towel, April pressed it to Raph's arm. A spot of blood began to form on the white linen. April frowned at the blotch.

"This is pretty bad, Raph. I hope your new friend here knows what she's doing."

Casey came back with the first aid kit and gave it to April. Opening it, she set out the items they needed while Mona opened her backpack and took out a small bag containing a dried green herb.

"Woah, we don't partake in that stuff," Mikey said.

Mona raised a brow. "It's yarrow. It's good for slowing down blood loss and numbs the pain."

Taking a few pinches, she placed it in her mouth and chewed quickly. She spat out the poultice in her hand and placed it on Raph's wound.

Mikey wrinkled his nose. "Ew!"

Raph had to agree with Mikey on this one. "Why did you do that?" he asked biting back a snarl.

"I told you, it numbs the pain. I'm going to need to dig the bullet out, which isn't going to feel nice."

"I have a high pain tolerance."

"I'm sure you do, but I'll try to do what I can to make it less painful."

Taking a boxcutter knife and tweezers, she quickly went to work on Raph's arm. She cut an incision after removing the yarrow. Blood trickled from the wound as she worked the bullet to the surface. Seeing the tiny bulge in his arm, he looked away, still gripping the counter tightly. The cold tweezers slid into his flesh and worked their way to the bullet. He felt metal on metal and the tweezers digging deeper. He bit back a growl as the tweezers slipped and scraped muscle. She hissed out a swear but kept going. Her tiny fingers squeezed his skin again as she tried working the bullet back up to the surface.

It felt as though it was going on longer than it should. Dizziness was setting in and he felt light-headed. Did the bullet hit an artery? Or maybe Mona Lisa didn't know what she was doing, and she made it worse. He took a breath to steady himself. The last thing he needed was looking weak in front of his brothers. He closed his eyes, wishing this was over and done with. It felt as though too much time had passed already.

"Come on," Mona hissed. "Almost there."

"This is gross and cool all at the same time!" Mikey said.

The bullet pushed through his flesh, and he felt a tiny pop as it was finally freed. He heard it clank in the sink and Mona give a sigh of relief. She quickly cleaned the wound, placed an antibiotic on it, and patched his arm.

"Okay, you can look now," she said.

He did and was impressed by her work.

"Thanks," Raph said.

"Wow, and Raph didn't cry. Amazing!" Mikey said. Then added in a mocking tone, "You wanna lolly, Raphie?"

Mona giggled at Mikey's teasing. Combined with the pain he was still in and Mikey's wisecracks, he felt his chest burn with anger and… jealousy? He hadn't felt that way since Mikey won the Battle Nexus. He pushed it away as soon as he felt it.

"Good work," April said.

"Yeah, you worked fast," added Casey.

"Thank you for helping my brother," Leonardo said.

Mona blushed at the compliments she received and ducked her head. Her brown hair curtained her face as she looked down at the floor.

Master Splinter stepped from behind the others and approached Mona. Her deep blue eyes widened at the sight of him.

"We cannot thank you enough, miss," Splinter said, dipping his head respectfully.

Mona blinked at him. Her mouth opened, but she didn't speak. Raph knew this look and knew what was coming next. The salamander's eyes rolled back and her legs buckled. Had he not caught her, her head would have hit the counter.

Splinter sighed, annoyed this happened yet again.

As Raph held her, he realized how light she felt in his arms. Her warm cheek pressed against his cold plastron, warming it in that area. The feeling made him uneasy, and he readjusted her higher.

Mikey stepped hovered close and smoothed the hair from her face. Looking her over, he asked, "Does this make her one of us?"

* * *

When she finally awoke, she found herself in an attic, in a twin-sized bed. She stretched and sat up, looking around the room. Looking around the room, she found herself alone. For a moment panic set in as she didn't know where she was or what happened. Then it quickly came flooding back to her. The humans, the gun, a big turtle.

She tossed off the covers and walked over to the window. The sky was streaked with pink and deep orange as the sun lowered behind Saw Mill Hills. She scanned the yard, noting the truck was gone. Did they leave her?

A floorboard creaked, making her jump. She spun around and faced a turtle with teal skin and an orange mask.

"Hi!" he said cheerfully. "We heard you moving around and I thought I'd check on you. How are you feeling?"

He bounded over to her and got uncomfortably close to her. She took a step back as he stared at her with bright blue eyes.

"I'm okay. How long have been out of it?"

"A few hours, I think. I dunno, I kind of lost track of time." He shrugged. "It happens."

She found it almost comical that he spoke with a stereotype "surfer dude" accent. It reminded her of those 80s flicks she and her brother used to watch.

"So, uh, you want to join us downstairs? Sensei says he'll explain everything, and we'd like to hear your story. He's the rat you met earlier."

"Your… sensei?" Her eyes flicked to his nunchucks. _Did I fall asleep and wake up in a Bruce Lee movie?_

The orange turtle chortled. "You know, like a teacher, but for ninjas. He's also our dad."

She raised a brow. "Your dad is a rat?"

"Yeah, it's a long story. Master Splinter tells it better than I can. Come on."

* * *

Sitting in the living room next to Raph, Mona listened as Splinter told their story. It amazed her they started as ordinary animals. She had expected them to be humans in their past lives and found it extraordinary how human-like they were. From their early days to their fight with an ancient demon, she hung onto every word of their tale.

When the story was over, she said: "That's incredible!"

"I know, right?" the orange turtle said.

Splinter shot him a warning glare before continuing. "With a book I found in the sewers, I named each turtle after a renaissance painter." He gestured to the blue masked turtle. "Leonardo." Leonardo dipped his head. "Michelangelo." The orange-clad turtle grinned and gave her a wink. "Donatello." Donatello waved at her. "And you have met Raphael." Raph gave her a nod.

"All the good ones end in O!" Mikey said. Beside him, Donatello and Leonardo laughed. Raph, however, scowled.

She took a sip of green tea as she thought more about their story. As amazing as it was, it also made her sad. All the good they did for the world and they were forced to hide away from it. She wondered if they ever felt lonely as she did.

"So, this ooze that covered you, it was from space?" she asked.

"Yes, the Utroms created it many years ago. They're here on earth, trying to keep it out of the wrong hands," Leonardo explained. "They were successful... most of the time."

"Do you think maybe that's what caused my mutation?"

Everyone looked to Donatello. He rubbed the back of his neck and gave her a sympathetic look.

"I'm not sure," he admitted. "I would need to see what it was you came in contact with."

"It was purple and glowed brightly. I think it mutated anyone into the last animal they came in contact with."

"How did you come in contact with salamanders?"

"Filch let me keep pets but only small creatures such as mice and reptiles. My latest creature of choice were salamanders and then two weeks later… I'm this."

"Who's Filch?" Leo asked.

"Captain Filch," Mona said. "He was the man that held me hostage all these years…" Her voice trailed as memories bubbled to the surface.

"Come on, don't leave us in suspense!" Michelangelo said.

Donatello smacked the back of Mikey's head. "Don't be nosey!"

She'd never spoken about it with anyone before. Who could she talk to anyway? Now that she finally met others like her, relief washed over her that she wasn't alone after all this time. She knew they didn't want to pry, but she saw the curiosity in their eyes. After a few hesitant moments passed, she told her story.

"My story is a long one, too," she began. "I grew up in southern California along the beaches. My family was wealthy but my parents still wanted my brother and I to have a good work ethic. I strived for good grades and was able to skip a few grades. By thirteen I was taking sophomore classes and by sixteen I was a senior. When it came time for college, I wanted to become a veterinarian because I've always loved animals. Anyway, it was at college that I met my boyfriend, Billy." There was a pang in her heart suddenly, but she pushed through and continued. "One evening, Billy, proposed to me and I said yes. Later, we joined our friends on his family's yacht to go night fishing. That's when Captain Filch showed up on his boat. One of my friends always carried a gun and open fire when they tried taking us hostage. He killed one and badly wounded the other before Filch disarmed him. In the next moment, Filch lined us up on our knees and his men had guns to the back of our heads as they robbed us of our belongings. Then he said since my friend had killed one of his men, it was only fair that he killed one of us." Her voice began to strain as a sob threatened to escape her. She cleared her throat and took a breath before continuing. "He picked me and that's when Billy begged for them to take him instead. Filch laughed and mocked Billy for wanting to sacrifice himself for me. Seeing the man my friend wounded, I made Filch a deal. If I saved his shipmate and went willingly with him to be their crew's doctor, then he had to let my friends go. He agreed and took me onto his boat, but…"

Grief knotted in her throat as she remembered what happened next. She wasn't sure she could continue. Closing her eyes, fought back the tears threatening to surface. A thin hand came down on her shoulder. She opened her eyes and saw Splinter's gray ones looking back at her with pity.

"You do not have to continue if this is too difficult," he said.

She shook her head and sniffed. "No, I'm okay. As I boarded his boat, Filch ordered them to kill Billy. I begged and screamed but he only laughed then shot they shot my boyfriend. He was looking at me as they did it, but I couldn't look at him." She shook her head. "I've spent years on Filch's ship. I pretended to be on board with his plans so I could survive. The things he's done are… well, they keep me up at night."

"So, where is this Filch guy?" Raphael asked, cracking his knuckles. "I just wanna have a little talk with 'im."

"It's okay, Raphael, he's dead. I made sure of it. The night I escaped, I knew there was a chance I wasn't getting out alive, but I couldn't stay with that man any longer. I found some charges they used when breaking open safes and set them on the boilers. After that, I took a knife and made my way to the captain's quarters and told Filch I suspected one of his men was stealing from him. By then, I'd gained Filch's trust to the point that he'd confide in me more so than his own men. When he turned his back, that's when I attacked. It wasn't easy, as he was much larger than me, but I managed to drive my knife into his chest. When I was certain he was dead, I fled, took a lifeboat, and detonated the charges once I made it to a safe distance. I washed ashore two days later dehydrated and weak from hunger. After that, I kept traveling, sticking to the forest and only going out at night to forage for supplies."

"How long how have you lived out here?" Don asked.

"Since last summer."

"I'm sorry for your loss," Leo said. "If there's anything we can do, all you have to do is ask."

She looked down. "It's okay. I don't think there's much anyone can do for me now."

Before anyone else could answer her, the front door flew open and Casey and April stepped inside, each carrying three pizzas.

"Dinner has arrived!" Casey announced as he placed the pizzas on the counter. "Who's hungry?"

"Me!" Mikey cried. He stumbled over his brothers and made it to the kitchen before them. "I feel like I haven't eaten in days!"

"Hold on, Mikey, don't you think our guest should go first?" Leo asked.

Mikey froze and looked to Mona. She suddenly felt uncomfortable as all eyes were on her.

"I-it's okay. You guys go ahead, I'm not hungry," she blurted.

Despite the knots in her belly, she felt while telling her story, hunger jabbed at her as the aroma of pizza filled her nose. She wanted nothing more than to devour an entire pie but her politeness and anxiety kept her in place.

"It's okay," Raph said, holding out a hand for her. "We got extra for you."

Hesitantly, she took his hand and lifted her to her feet.

She followed them into the kitchen and picked two slices of pizza. One cheese and a supreme.

"You can take more than that," Raph said, making her jump.

She turned to face him. "Oh, no it's fine. I don't want to impose or anything."

"It's fine. We ain't gonna go hungry anytime soon. I mean, look at the amount Mikey took," he said thumbing in the orange turtle's direction. "So, you better hurry before the knucklehead eats it all."

"That's different."

"How so?"

She averted her gaze away from him, unsure of how to answer. Without waiting another moment, Raph grabbed two slices of pepperoni and placed them on her plate.

"Go on and eat."

She ate in silence while listening to others talk about topics that varied from training exercises to video games. More than once, Michelangelo invaded her personal space and asked her a variety of questions. She had to keep reminding him that she didn't like when some sat too close to her or got in her face. His brothers continually scolded him for pestering her. Even though she was uncomfortable, she still found Mikey to be amusing and found some of his jokes funny.

Glancing in Raph's direction, she caught him glaring at his brother any time she laughed at Mikey. She wondered if he was jealous but she brushed it off as he had no reason to be. She decided not to think too much about it, assuming that was just his attitude.

The evening turned to night. As April handed Mona a pillow and blanket, she took a seat beside her on the couch.

"The guys told me what happened to you," April said. "I'm sorry you went through all that."

Mona nodded. "It's alright. It's all in the past. Filch is dead, his boat is destroyed, and I'm finally free… well as free as a mutant salamander can be." She forced a small laugh.

April took Mona's hand. "If you ever need to talk, I'm here to listen."

"Thank you."

There was a moment of silence before April spoke again. "I think the guys are going to ask you to stay with them."

Mona's eyes widen. "Really? They told you this?"

"It's what I overheard. I think they're still talking it over upstairs."

Mona didn't know what to say.

"We plan on staying for the week, so there's plenty of time to think it over."

April gave Mona's hand a pat before standing. "I'm gonna go to bed. See you in the morning."

"Good night, Miss O'Neil."

"Call me April," she said, laughing.

With April gone, Mona was left alone in the dark with her thoughts. She curled up on the couch and cocooned herself in the blanket. The turtles' voices drifted downstairs, though it was hard to tell what exactly they were talking about. She wondered if they were discussing her as April had mentioned. Would she stay with them? It seemed like the practical choice. It was better than starving out in the woods and she wasn't certain she could survive another winter.

She strained to hear Raphael's voice, but it seemed he was staying silent for now. The most vocal and loudest was Michelangelo. Once she heard her name mentioned followed by someone shushing him.

"I think she likes me!" she heard Mikey declare.

Mona giggled quietly.

Someone silenced him again. More hushed voices. After an hour of this, they finally quieted down. It wasn't long before she heard someone snoring. She nestled deeper into her blanket and soon drifted off to sleep, unsure of what would happen next.

* * *


End file.
